Book of Malachi

Summary of the Book of Malachi

This summary of the book of Malachi provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme,
theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Malachi.

Author

The
book is ascribed to Malachi, whose name means "my messenger." Since the term
occurs in 3:1, and since both prophets and priests were called messengers of
the Lord (see 2:7; Hag 1:13), some have thought "Malachi" to be only a title
that tradition has given the author. The view has been supported by appeal
to the pre-Christian Greek translation of the OT (the Septuagint), which translates
the term in 1:1 "his messenger" rather than as a proper noun. The matter, however,
remains uncertain, and it is still very likely that Malachi was in fact the author's name.

Background

Spurred on by the prophetic activity of Haggai and Zechariah, the returned
exiles under the leadership of their governor Zerubbabel finished the temple
in 516 b.c. In 458 the community was strengthened by the coming of the priest
Ezra and several thousand more Jews. Artaxerxes king of Persia encouraged Ezra
to reconstitute the temple worship (Ezr 7:17) and to make sure the law of Moses
was being obeyed (Ezr 7:25-26).

Fourteen years later (444) the same Persian king permitted his cupbearer
Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild its walls (Ne 6:15). As newly appointed
governor, Nehemiah also spearheaded reforms to help the poor (Ne 5:2-13), and
he convinced the people to shun mixed marriages (Ne 10:30), to keep the Sabbath
(Ne 10: 31) and to bring their tithes and offerings faithfully (Ne 10:37-39).

In 433 b.c. Nehemiah returned to the service of the Persian king, and during
his absence the Jews fell into sin once more. Later, however, Nehemiah came
back to Jerusalem to discover that the tithes were ignored, the Sabbath was
broken, the people had intermarried with foreigners, and the priests had become
corrupt (Ne 13:7-31). Several of these same sins are condemned by Malachi (see
1:6-14; 2:14-16; 3:8-11).

Date

The similarity between the sins denounced in Nehemiah and those denounced
in Malachi suggests that the two leaders were contemporaries. Malachi may have
been written after Nehemiah returned to Persia in 433 b.c. or during his second
period as governor. Since the governor mentioned in 1:8 (see note there) probably
was not Nehemiah, the first alternative may be more likely. Malachi was most
likely the last prophet of the OT era (though some place Joel later).

Themes and Theology

The theological message of the book can be summed up in one sentence: The
Great King (1:14) will come not only to judge his people (3:1-5; 4:1) but also to bless and restore them (3:6-12; 4:2).

Although the Jews had been allowed to return from exile and rebuild the temple,
several discouraging factors brought about a general religious malaise: (1)
Their land remained but a small province in the backwaters of the Persian empire,
(2) the glorious future announced by the prophets (including the other postexilic
prophets, Haggai and Zechariah) had not (yet) been realized, and (3) their
God had not (yet) come to his temple (3:1) with majesty and power (as celebrated
in Ps 68) to exalt his kingdom in the sight of the nations. Doubting God's
covenant love (1:2) and no longer trusting his justice (2:17; 3:14-15), the Jews of the restored community began to lose hope. So their worship degenerated
into a listless perpetuation of mere forms, and they no longer took the law seriously.

Malachi rebukes their doubt of God's love (1:2-5) and the faithlessness of
both priests (1:6 -- 2:9) and people (2:10-16). To their charge that God is unjust (2:17) because he has failed to come in judgment to exalt his people, Malachi answers with an announcement and a warning. The Lord they seek will come -- but
he will come "like a refiner's fire" (3:1-4). He will come to judge -- but he
will judge his people first (3:5).

Because the Lord does not change in his commitments and purpose, Israel has
not been completely destroyed for her persistent unfaithfulness (3:6). But
only through repentance and reformation will she again experience God's blessing
(3:6-12). Those who honor the Lord will be spared when he comes to judge (3:16-18).

In conclusion, Malachi once more reassures and warns his readers that "the
day [�that great and dreadful day of the Lord,' 4:5] is coming" and that "it
will burn like a furnace" (4:1). In that day the righteous will rejoice, and
"you will trample down the wicked" (4:2-3). So "remember the law of my servant
Moses" (4:4). To prepare his people for that day the Lord will send "the prophet
Elijah" to call them back to the godly ways of their forefathers (4:5-6).

Literary Features

Malachi is called an "oracle" (1:1) and is written in what might be called
lofty prose. The text features a series of questions asked by both God and
the people. Frequently the Lord's statements are followed by sarcastic questions
introduced by "(But) you ask" (1:2,6-7; 2:14,17; 3:7-8,13; cf. 1:13). In each case the Lord's response is given.

Repetition is a key element in the book. The name "Lord Almighty" occurs
20 times (see note on 1Sa 1:3). The book begins with a description of the wasteland
of Edom (1:3-4) and ends with a warning of Israel's destruction (4:6).

Several vivid figures are employed within the book of Malachi. The priests
sniff contemptuously at the altar of the Lord (1:13), and the Lord spreads
on their faces the offal from their sacrifices (see 2:3 and note). As Judge,
"he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap" (3:2), but for the
righteous "the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And
you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall" (4:2).